Sampler splitter valve

ABSTRACT

A SPLITTER VALVE FOR A MATERIAL SAMPLER FOR THE PURPOSE OF DIVIDING A SAMPLE INTO A PRE-DETERMINED NUMBER OF PARTS AND IN PRE-DETERMINED SIZES DEPENDING UPON THE SIZE OF SAMPLING TUBES AND THE OPERATION OF THE VALVE. THE VALVE HAS A PIVOTALLY MOUNTED SPOUT MEMBER WHICH OSCILLATES BETWEEN PREDETERMINED LIMITS ABOVE A SAMPLE MANIFOLD. A PLURALITY OF COMPARTMENTS IN THE MANIFOLD AND CONNECTED TO SUPPLY TUBES WHICH CONVEY THE MATERIAL DEPOSITED THEREIN TO SEPARATE COLLECTING CONTAINERS. A FLUID OPERATED LINEAR ACTUATOR FOR IMPARTING OSCILLATORY MOVEMENT TO THE SPOUT IS ALSO DISCLOSED.

SAMPLER SPLITTER VALVE Filed Sept. 20, 1968 INVENTORS 1641 3 Caemzz, BY JAMES L MaeGA Jz g &

ATTOEIVEVS United States Patent 3,555,911 SAMPLER SPLITTER VALVE Ray R. Cordell, Hopkins, and James L. Morgan, Jr., St. Louis Park, Minn., assignors of fifty percent each to Gustafson Manufacturing Company, Hopkins, Minn., and International-Stanley Corporation, Omaha, Nebr.

Filed Sept. 20, 1968, Ser. No. 761,137 Int. Cl. G01n 1/02 U.S. Cl. 73-423 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A splitter valve for a material sampler for the purpose of dividing a sample into a pre-determined number of parts and in pre-determined sizes depending upon the size of sampling tubes and the operation of the valve. The valve has a pivotally mounted spout member which oscillates between predetermined limits above a sample manifold. A plurality of compartments in the manifold are connected to supply tubes which convey the material deposited therein to separate collecting containers. A fluid operated linear actuator for imparting oscillatory movement to the spout is also disclosed.

Our invention relates to sampling apparatus, and more particularly to a splitter valve for a material sampler to divide a sample of granular material taken from a material sampler into a pre-determined number of parts.

Sampling apparatus for granular and fluent materials is broadly old. Such structures in the past have taken a variety of shapes and forms depending upon the location of the sampler, the consistency of the material to be sampled, and the conditions under which the materials are to be sampled. The present invention is directed to a splitter valve for a sampling apparatus particularly adapted to flowable or fluent materials wherein the sampling apparatus is to be located in a conduit line for the material and the sample is fed to the splitter valve to automatically divide the same with the unused material being returned to the conduit line. This improved splitter valve is directed to an arrangement by means of which a sample, or a plurality of samples, may be divided and directed to separate containers for evaluation. The improved splitter valve' selects a portion of the material directed into a splitter valve body and directs it to a plurality of sampling tubes whose size may vary in accord with the desired ratio between samples. The improved splitter valve may effect splitting at pro-determined periods and over pre-determined lengths of itme. This improved splitter valve is particularly adaptable for the splitting of samples of granular or fluent materials automatically to eliminate manual handling and provide for sealing of sample containers.

Therefore, it is the principal object of this invention to provide an improved splitter valve for a sampling apparatus which will divide a sample into a pre-determined number of parts.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved splitter valve which is simple in design, low in cost and easy to operate and maintain.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached description, to gether with the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of my improved material sampler.

FIG. 2 is an elevation view of the material sampler of FIG. 1, with parts in section.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the material sampler of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the splitter valve of FIG. 2 taken along the lines 4-4 therein.

Patented Jan. 19, 1971 Our improved material sampler is shown in the drawings generally at 10. It is adapted to be connected to sampling apparatus in conveying lines for materials of the granular type and, in particular, in gravity type flow lines or low pressure lines. The fragmentary duct showings at 11 and 12 represent such a small conveying line which conveys a sample from a sampling apparatus and returns excess sample material to the conveying line. The material sampler (not shown) will normally be connected into a direct flow line or conduit for the material such that all or a major portion of the materials will flow past the sampler and a representative sample of the bulk material will be taken therefrom for splitting and directing of the same to sample containers for an evaluation of quality and characteristics of the same. This improved splitter valve for a sampler is particularly adapted to split or divide the sample taken into a given number of parts and in given proportions such that various types of evaluations may be made of the sample material. In the present disclosure, the splitter valve will divide the sample taken into three equal parts and conduct the same outside of the valve to sample containers which may be sealed such that manual division or handling of the sample is not necessary and exposure of the sample to outside elements will be eliminated during the dividing operation.

The improved splitter valve is shown herein as comprising a body 20 which is generally rectangular in cross section and similar to an elongated duct structure. It will preferably be made of thin sheet metal and will be hollow but may take varying shapes and utilize any desired type of materials in the construction of the same. This body member has a cap 21 which is connected to a sample tube 11 in a sealed relation therewith and with any type of conventional fabrication or construction to secure the same to the sample line from a material sampler (not shown) in a conveying line.

Positioned within the body member 20 is a spout member 25 which is similarly rectangular in cross section, being hollow and preferably of a metallic construction. Attached to the opposite sides of the same are a pair of shafts 27, 28 which may be secured to the spout member through any suitable means such as mounting brackets 30 secured by metal screws or the equivalent. The shafts are concentrically disposed on the spout member and extend to the walls of the body member to be journaled therein through suitable journals 32, 33 where one of the shafts, such as 27, extends through the body member and is exposed outside of the same, such as is indicated at 35. The spout member includes a flared or truncated type opening 29 at one extremity, defining a throat portion which is larger than the general hollow cross section of the remaining portion of the spout member and is positioned below the sample conveying tube 11 in cap 21. It will define a concentrating entrance passage for the sample material and will be positioned at all times below the tube 11 to receive the sample therefrom. Further, the shafts 27, 28 are mounted on the spout member such that they do not pass through and present an obstruction to internal flow through the spout member. They are located preferably close to the flared or entrance opening of the spout member such that upon rotation of the shafts, the throat portion will move through a smaller angular distance than the discharge or opposite extremity of the spout member. The extension or portion 35 of the shaft 27 which extends outside of the body member of the sampler is connected to a suitable driving means, to be later defined, to impart limited rotational or pivotal movement to the spout member.

Associated with the spout member is manifold 36 with openings 37-3 9 therein, which are connected respectively to a plurality of sample collecting tubes 40, 41 and 42. These preferably are of the same shape. The sample openings in the manifold have the same cross sectional opening exposed to the end of the spout member to equally divide the sample into three different parts. The sample collecting tubes 40-42 are preferably positioned in a side-by-side relationship and are mounted on the manifold and associated with the respective sample openings to receive sample flow therefrom. These respective sample openings in the manifold are positioned adjacent and slightly out of contact with the end of the spout member which is adapted to be rotated or pivoted across the surface of the same. The sample collecting tubes and the manifold are preferably of a metallic material and may be rectangular or circular in cross section with the tubes extending from the body member to a point outside of the same. Thus, as will be seen in FIG. 2, the sample collecting tubes 40-42 are mounted on the manifold which is secured in the valve body at flanges 50 attached to one side of the body member. The tubes are directed from the manifold positioned in the wall of the body member to a point outside of the same where they separately attach to sample collecting containers, such as is indicated generally at 70. The manifold 36 is preferably sealed through suitable means (not shown) in the body member and is rigidly positioned in the body member. It will be understood that the number of sample collecting tubes and sections in the manifold may vary depening upon the desired number or portions into which the sample is to be split and the relative ratio or size of the samples divided by the collecting tubes may be varied by increasing or varying the cross sectional size of the openings in the manifold.

In the present disclosure, the manifold sections or openings 37-39 and the sample collecting tubes 40-42 are of identical cross section and opening and will split the sample taken by the sampling apparatus into three equal parts. These parts will be collected by separate sample containers and will eliminate the necessity of manually dividing the sample for test purposes.

The spout member may be actuated through any suitable means which Will impart limited pivotal movement or oscillatory movement thereto. In the present disclosure, a linear actuator 75 is shown with its output shaft 76 connected through a linkage member 77 to the exposed extremity of the shaft 35 to rotate the spout member arcuately through a given are with the extremes of movement of the output shaft. The linear actuator, which is pivotally mounted on the valve body, as at 78, may be of the hydraulic or pneumatic type, and suitable pipes or conduits 80, 81, respectively, are connected to the opposite extremities of the cylinder portion of the actuator to supply motive fluid thereto and impart reversible or directional motion to the same. These conduits are connected through a valve, indicated schematically at 85, which will be of the four-way type and will employ a suitable actuator, such as is indicated schematically at 87, for operating the valve, selectively. Suitable fluid conduits 88 and 89 are connected to the valve and represent supply and return lines for the motive or fluid source. In addition, a suitable timer, indicated at block 90, having adjustable settings, as indicated by the adjustment knob 92, will provide the electrical output in a timer manner. This output is fed through conductors 95 to the actuator 87 which is of the electrical type, to selectively shift or operate the valve and control flow of the motive fluid to the linear actuator 75. Conductors 97 represent the energizing electrical source to the timer or controller such that periodic energization of the sample splitter valve for sample splitting taking purposes may be affected.

The sectional view of FIG. 4 of the drawings shows the spout member 25 and the sample openings 37-39 of the manifold 36 apart from the actuating structure for the spout member to disclose the relationship of parts and the limits of position of pivotal movement for the spout member relative to the sample openings in the manifold associated with the sample collecting tubes. The linear actuator will have a rest position either with the operating shaft 76 extended or retracted, thereby imparting rotational or pivotal movement to the spout member such that it will be angularly disposed with the discharge extremity of the same located to one or the other sides of the openings in the manifold. In these positions, material passing through the spout member will be discharged back into the body through the return conduit 12 and away from the openings in the manifold for the sample tubes, such that no sample will be taken. The flared or truncated opening at the upstream end of the spout member which is greater in cross section than the remaining portion of the spout member, serves to collect the sample from the inlet sample line 11 in cap 21 and concentrates the sample material for passage through the spout member under the influence of gravity. In this manner, a more concentrated stream of material to be split will be passed through the discharge end of the spout member to be deposited either to one side of the manifold and out of the splitter valve, or into the openings in the manifold associated with the sample tubes, depending upon the position of the spout member relative to the manifold. Further, the flared intake opening of the spout member in the tilted positions will be positioned below the inlet tube in the end cap of the valve body to collect the free-flowing material from the sampler. This will prevent materials from being deposited in the sample collecting openings of the manifold whenever the spout member is in a limit position to one or the other sides of the collecting tubes. By controlling the speed or movement of the spout member over the surface of the manifold for the sample collecting tubes, a uniform deposit of the material sample will be present, dividing the sample equally or in whatever proportion is desired depending upon the relative size of the sample openings in the manifold. Further, by adjusting the relative rest periods or periods of time in which the spout member is in one of the limit positions relative to the period of time it is moving across the exposed openings of the manifold for the sample tubes, the frequency and amount of sample beng split will be adjusted.

It will be understood that while a linear actuator of the bi-directional type is shown herein operated through a valve from a timer, that the equivalent structure will be found in a rotary type electric or hydraulic motor with suitable limit stops operated from a timer.

Our improved splitter valve for a sampler is particularly adapted to divide a sample of granular or fluent materials in a free-flow or gravity type flow line from a sampler, which is inserted into a conveying line. Thus, the sample material flowing from the sampler will flow into the spout member and through the openings in the manifold to the sample tubes while a certain amount of the sample will bypass the manifold and will be discharged (unimpeded) through the return duct portion 12 to its conveying line as the spout is moved between limit positions. Since there is no closed connection or cover over the sample tube openings when the sample is not being taken, it is necessary that this sample splitter valve be used in gravity flow type sample lines or in extremely low pressure lines. The close proximity of the sample openings in the manifold with respect to the discharge end of the spout member and the relative dimensions of the spout member and position of the same relative to the sample collecting manifold prevents material from entering the sample collecting tubes except through the spout member. By controlling the rotational movement of the spout member relative to the manifold and the periods of rest in the limit positions in the spout member, the total amount of the sample directed to the sample tubes will be controlled. With the improved sampling apparatus, the total sample will be split into a desired number of parts and be discharged from the body of the sampling splitter valve to suitable collecting containers without manual handling or exposure to contamination. This simplified structure permits ease in control and maintenance and provides a simplified method of splitting samples into a desired number of parts for testing purposes.

It will be recognized that the improved material sampler may vary in shape, form and materials within the scope of the present invention. For example, the manifold may be eliminated and the sample tube may be positioned directly below the spout member to receive the sample therefrom. Further, the splitter valve may be used as a sampler itself, being positioned directly in the conveying line or a branch thereof instead of being connected to a sampler, that is, with the small sample conveying line of the valve body and return conduit connected directly to the conveying line. The type of motive device for the splitter valve may also vary while still providing the limited controlled oscillating motion to the spout member.

Therefore, the present disclosure is intended to be illustrative only and the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

'1. A sampler splitter valve adapted to be connected to a bulk material sampler positioned in a conveying line comprising, a body member having an inlet and an outlet and adapted to be connected at its inlet to a sample transmitting conduit from the sampler to receive material from the same and return excess material from its outlet to the conveying line, a tubular spout member positioned within the body member below the inlet and pivotally mounted within the body member, said spout member having an actuating shaft for imparting limited pivotal motion thereto from a point extending outside of the body member, a sample manifold positioned within the body member and having a plurality of sample collecting sections each with a sample opening therein positioned in side-by-side relationship and adjacent one end of the spout member such as to receive material therefrom, a plurality of sample tubes connected respectively to the sample collecting sections of the sample manifold and extending outside of the valve body to transmit material from the sample openings through the sample tubes to a point outside the body member, said spout member including a throat portion at the upstream extremity of the same having a cross section substantially greater than the hollow cross section of the remaining tubular portion of the spout member such that it will collect all material flowing from the inlet of the body member, and means connected to the actuating shaft of the spout member for pivoting the spout member across the sample openings of the sample collecting tubes between predetermined positions of limited pivotal movement wherein the one end of the spout member is positioned to either side of the sample openings in the sample manifold to discharge material to the outlet of the body member when the spout member is in said predetermined positions.

2. The sampler splitter valve of claim 1 in which the spout member has a substantially reduced cross sectional dimension with respect to the similar cross sectional dimensions of the body member of the sampler valve, and in which the sample openings have the same cross sectional dimensions adjacent the spout member.

3. The sampler splitter valve of claim 2 in which the sample collecting tubes are three in number.

4. The sampler splitter valve of claim 3 in which the means connected to the actuating shaft of the spout member is a controlled motive means imparting limited rotational movement to the shaft and oscillatory movement of the spout member within the body member.

5. The sampler splitter valve of claim 4 and including sealed sample receivers connected to the sample tubes outside of the body member to receive and contain sample material in a sealed relationship.

6. The sampler splitter valve of claim 1 in which the valve body has a inlet of lesser cross sectional dimension than the cross sectional dimension of the valve body and the spout member has a cross sectional dimension at the upstream end of the same such as to project beyond and be positioned beneath the inlet of the valve body for all positions of pivotal movement of the spout member.

7. The sampler splitter valve of claim 1. in which the means connected to the actuating shaft of the spout member for pivoting the same is a linear actuator with a linkage connected to the actuating shaft to the actuator and positioned on the outside of the valve body for imparting pivotal motion to the shaft and the spout member within the body member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,129,502 9/1938 McCreary 137612 2,182,318 12/1939 Gunn 137612 2,518,574 8/1950 Skopecek 137-612 3,122,019 2/1964 Wellenius et al. 73-423 3,457,789 7/1969 Adler et al. 73-423 WILLIAM R. CLINE, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 137-612 

